Extreme heat in 2026 demands more than endurance. It requires proactive governance and systemic change.

In this episode of Attributions, we go beyond the headlines to explore the strategies, infrastructure, and policies needed to protect cities and vulnerable communities. From heat action plans to thermal equity for outdoor workers, discover why rising temperatures demand collective action.

Once considered rare, extreme rainfall events are now becoming a regular and destructive reality across Asia. In this episode of Attributions, we speak with Dr. Mariam Zachariah, a climate scientist with the World Weather Attribution initiative, about what’s behind this shift  and what it means for countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia.

From the science of climate attribution to the social consequences of floods, we unpack how human-driven climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall, and why vulnerable communities are paying the highest price.

📲 Connect with Dr. Mariam Zachariah on X: @ZachariahMariam

👉 Listen now to understand how the climate is changing Asia’s water risks  and what must happen next.

Asia is facing record heat, rising floods and growing displacement, yet adaptation finance remains far below what countries need to stay safe.

In our new episode of Attributions, we speak with Jeni Miller about what the UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025 reveals about the climate finance crisis after COP30, and what this means for health systems, food security, Indigenous communities and frontline workers across Asia.

Adaptation is not only a financial issue. It is a fairness issue.
 Those least responsible for the climate crisis are facing the greatest risks.

This episode explores:
 • why the adaptation finance gap is widening
 • what outdated adaptation plans mean for real communities
 • how extreme weather is intensifying faster than resilience systems
 • the urgent need for health and food system adaptation
 • the growing debt concerns in developing countries
 • the path to a fair and equitable climate finance goal
 • why adaptation must be guided by climate justice

If you work in climate, sustainability or public policy, this conversation is essential.

To follow Dr Jeni Miller, Executive Director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance : 

Linkedin : Link

X : Link

Web : Link

Newsletter : Link 

Listen now and stay informed. Climate justice begins with understanding who is being left behind. 

What happens after COP30?

In this new solo episode of Attributions, we break down the key outcomes of COP30 and what the Adaptation Gap Report means for people across Asia.

This episode explores why adaptation finance is falling behind, why justice matters and how climate impacts are reshaping health, food systems and daily life.

If you want to understand what comes next for the climate, start here.

Listen now and follow CITA for more climate stories and updates. 

A powerful new episode is now live.

We sit down with climate scientist Dr. Emily Theokritoff to uncover the truth behind Typhoons Fung-wong and Kalmaegi storms that became far deadlier because of a warming world.

This conversation breaks down how attribution science proves the link between extreme weather and climate change, why damages are rising so fast in Asia, and what this means for loss & damage finance at COP30.

If you want to understand the science behind the storms and why communities are paying a price they didn’t cause this episode is for you.

Listen now and learn how data can drive justice and stronger protection for vulnerable communities.

Want more science like this? 

🌍 🔬Follow Dr. Emily Theokritoff for updates on climate attribution and extreme weather: 

Profile 🔗 Linkedin

Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment 🔗  Linkedin

Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment 🔗 Instagram

Why Asia is warming at twice the global average? 

🎙️ Asia’s climate crisis is unfolding in water — sometimes too much, sometimes not enough.

In this episode of Attributions, we explore the twin extremes of Asia’s growing water emergency: the floods that drown homes, and the droughts that quietly collapse livelihoods. From the melting glaciers of the Himalayas to the rain-starved deltas of Southeast Asia, a shifting climate is disrupting everything — food, culture, survival.

With water-related disasters now dominating Asia’s natural catastrophes, we ask: what will it take to protect the people most at risk?

🎧 Listen in to understand why climate action in Asia must begin with water.

Raja Ampat is paradise under threat. 🌿🌊

In this episode of Attributions, we travel to one of Indonesia’s most biodiverse regions — a place where coral reefs meet ancient forests, and Indigenous wisdom guides stewardship of the land and sea.

But behind the beauty, something darker is surfacing. Nickel and coal mining — framed as part of the world’s "green transition" — are endangering the very ecosystems and communities they claim to help.

🎙️ Join us as we dive into the growing fight to save Raja Ampat — where biodiversity, culture, and climate justice converge in one of the most urgent environmental frontlines in Southeast Asia.

Floods, droughts, cyclones — Asia faces it all. But anticipatory action is proving that resilience is possible.

Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the rest of the world — and 2024 was among its hottest years on record. The result: devastating floods in Nepal, droughts in China, and Cyclone Yagi’s destructive path across Southeast Asia. But alongside the losses, there are lessons in resilience.

This episode of Attributions explores the World Meteorological Organization’s latest State of the Climate in Asia Report. From anticipatory action in Nepal that saved over 130,000 lives, to the urgent warnings that every fraction of a degree matters, the message is clear: science is not just data — it’s protection, dignity, and hope.

Will Asia act fast enough to prevent a four-degree future? Tune in to uncover the science, the stories, and the choices shaping our survival.

If this episode opened your eyes to Asia’s climate realities, don’t keep it to yourself. 🌏
 👉 Share it with a friend, colleague, or community who cares about our future.
 💬 Tell us what climate impacts you’re seeing where you live — your voice may feature in a future episode.

🔔 And subscribe to Attributions so you don’t miss our next conversation. 

Welcome to Attributions! 

In this episode, we speak with Ma Thandar Ko Gyi — a diver and marine conservationist — about the complex challenges facing Myanmar’s ocean and the people who depend on it.

From the silent threat of ghost gear to the pressures of plastic pollution and climate change, Myanmar’s coastal communities are on the frontlines of a crisis that is both environmental and deeply human.

🎧 Join us as we dive beneath the surface to uncover how culture, conservation, and courage come together in one woman’s mission to protect the sea.

🔗 Connect with her here:
FB:  https://www.facebook.com/thanda

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thandakogyi?igsh=eTl3em5hMTBvczN5

X: https://x.com/thandakogyi?s=21

🎙️ This Heat Is Not Normal: A Ground Report from India

India’s brutal heatwaves are no longer just summer discomforts — they are a public health and education emergency. In this episode, we speak with Nagraj Adve, a long-time climate communicator and member of Teachers Against the Climate Crisis (TACC), to unpack how extreme heat is disrupting classrooms and endangering children’s futures.

Nagraj has written and spoken about global warming for over 18 years. He is the author of Global Warming in India: Science, Impacts, and Politics, and his work has appeared in leading publications such as The Hindu, EPW, The Wire, and India Today. He has also shared insights on platforms like NDTV and Al Jazeera.

🎧 Follow Nagraj on X: @nagrajadve

🔗 Tune in to understand why this heat is not normal — and what must change to protect India’s next generation.

“There were times when my voice wasn’t heard—not because I lacked experience, but because I am a woman.”

 Meet Hening, a mother, a climate leader weaving spirituality, activism, and womanhood into powerful change.

🎙️ Hening shares her deeply personal journey through decades of advocacy—navigating male-dominated spaces, cultural expectations, and the emotional labour of leadership as a woman, mother, and changemaker.

✨ Why do women play such a critical role in environmental resilience?
 ✨ How can spirituality and interfaith collaboration move climate action forward?
 ✨ And what does a world shaped by women-led solutions really look like?

Whether you're new to climate action or deep in the work—this episode will leave you inspired to rise, reflect, and reimagine what’s possible.

🎧 Listen now. And let your spirit be moved by the voices of those quietly changing the world.

🌿 Follow GreenFaith Indonesia: @greenfaith.id

🔗 Connect with Hening:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BN45KB27J/?mibextid=wwXIfr

IG:  https://www.instagram.com/heningparlan?igsh=MTZ5OWVtYXg5bWJpMQ==

X: https://x.com/parlan_hening?s=21

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hening-parlan-28a38a39?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

💨 Your Aircon Keeps You Cool, But It’s Heating Up the Planet.

Welcome to Attributions, Ever thought about the hidden cost of staying cool? 🌎🔥 Air conditioning is making our cities hotter, driving up emissions, and deepening the climate crisis.

🎙️ Tune in to Attributions as we uncover the cooling paradox—and what we can do about it.

Welcome to Attributions, where we explore how our everyday actions are contributing to the climate crisis. In this episode, we’ll break down the 10 key human activities accelerating climate change, from deforestation and fossil fuel consumption to overfishing and waste. We’ll also delve into the ripple effects these actions have on our planet and discuss what we can do to make a positive impact. Tune in to uncover these pressing issues and discover how small changes in our daily lives can make a big difference in the fight against climate change. 

Join the conversation, take action, and let’s build a sustainable future together!

The Arctic is in crisis. In this episode of Attributions, we delve into the alarming consequences of a rapidly warming Arctic with Tom Meijerrand, Co-founder and COO of Arctic Reflections. We discuss ice loss, the release of methane, and the potential for ice-free summers. Tom shares insights into innovative solutions, including geoengineering techniques, to address this urgent threat.

Join us as we unpack the urgent threat facing the Arctic and explore the potential paths forward.

Read More: https://bit.ly/4a7rj4j

W: Tom Meijeraan
X: @meijeraan
Linkedin: Tom Meijeraan
Organization: Arctic Reflections

In this episode, we take you through the key highlights of COP29. From climate finance debates to the inclusion of indigenous voices and the urgent need for sustainable tourism and agriculture practices, we examine the outcomes and what they mean for our planet's future.

Did COP29 deliver real solutions, or are we left with more promises? Join us as we discuss the progress made, the gaps that remain, and how we can all push for meaningful change. Subscribe now and listen to stay informed, inspired, and ready to act for a sustainable future!

Attributions speaks to Philip Taspall, the Group Lead in Corporate and Finance Sector Engagement at XDI--the Cross Dependency Initiative--and part of the Climate Risk Group, about a new report from XDI on climate change impacts and their risks on commercial and residential real estate assets across Asia.
Topics discussed include why Asia's asset risks are greater than those in other regions, the importance of supply chains to real estate assets and their climate risk, how real estate assets are expected to fare under climate change in Asia, how assets are now screened for climate risk, and what the report calls "offsite and cross dependency analysis."

W: https://xdi.systems/
LinkedIn: Philip Taspall

Attributions speaks with Mark Hutchinson, the director and chair of the Southeast Asia Task Force at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

We speak to Mark about a recent report published by GWEC about the offshore wind industry attempting to coexist with South Korean fishing communities. Other topics include what kind of challenges offshore wind faces by local communities, the supply chain implications to an offshore wind industry in South Korea, the push back by local fishing communities and why they are sceptical about industrial projects and how wind developers can ensure their projects are successful with local populations.  

Mark has over 30 years of energy sector experience. He has expertise in strategic advice, finance, M&A, contract negotiations and due diligence in the power & renewables, and oil & gas sectors. Mark works with GWEC members in Asia and globally to represent the wind industry in policy and regulatory discussions across the region. He is also a an economist with a masters in public policy from Harvard University in energy regulation. 

GWEC Website: gwec.net

APAC Wind Energy Summit Website: apacwindenergysummit.kr

GWEC is present on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Threads at @globalwindenergycouncil and X at @GWECGlobalWind.

Attributions speaks to Hannah Mason about all things heatwaves and public health at sporting events.
Hannah is a lecturer and researcher at the College of Public Health, Medical, and Veterinary Sciences at James Cook University. She's worked on a wide range of public health and safety research projects, including exploring the impact of heatwaves on health systems.
Topics include heat waves and their impacts on public health systems, extreme heat and sporting events, the impacts of extreme heat on athletes and spectators, the Paris Olympics and what the organising committee is doing to reduce the effects of extreme heat, whether it is enough, and other topics.
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W: Hannah Mason
X (Twitter): @publichealthhan
LinkedIn: Hannah Mason

Attributions speaks with Anjal Prakash about the Indian elections in the context of climate change and public policy.

Anjal is an Associate Professor and Research Director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business, whose work focuses on climate change, water, gender issues and urban resilience in South Asia.

Anjal has also worked across several areas, including issues related to Himalayan water and resilience, snowpack, and glacier-dependent river basins. He's actively involved with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as the coordinating lead author for the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate.
We cover many topics, including how India is fairing with climate change impacts in 2024, water issues in the Himalayas, the current Indian elections and political chatter on climate change by major Parties, why adaptation to climate change impacts will be important for India, and whether political Parties are taking into account gender issues related to climate change.

LinkedIn: Anjal Prakash
X (Twitter): @AnjalPrakash
Web: ISB - Anjal Prakash

Papers referred to in episode:
1. Synergies and trade-offs between climate change adaptation options and gender equality: a review of the global literature
2. Barriers and opportunities in achieving climate and sustainable development goals in India: a multilevel analysis
3. A qualitative comparative analysis of women’s agency and adaptive capacity in climate change hotspots in Asia and Africa
4. Sustainable socio-ecological transformations in agriculture: cases from South Asia

Attributions speaks with Davide Faranda about a recent study he and other scientists conducted on the attribution of climate change on the heatwaves that affected Central Asia last year, along with a recap on some of the science behind heat waves, the impacts that heatwaves are having in the region and many other topics.
Davide is senior scientist in climate science at the French National Center for Scientific Research and His main expertise lies in attributing extreme weather events to climate change. 
Since September 2017, he has also been an external researcher at the London Mathematical Laboratory in London, and at the Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory of ENS in Paris. In France, Davide is coordinating a team of about 30 researchers working on aspects linked to weather and climate extremes events. He has authored over 100 scientific publications and written a scientific book.
In 2023 Davide has launched ClimaMeter, an international platform for linking weather extremes to climate change immediately after they occur.

W: https://www.climameter.org/
W: https://www.davide-faranda.com/
X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/DaviFaranda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidefaranda/

Attributions speaks with Gaia Zanaboni about the impacts of climate change on women for International Women's Day.

Gaia works with Women Engaged for a Common Future (WECF), a non-profit organisation. Her work primarily revolves around exploring the connections between international climate policies and their effects on women and girls.

During our discussion, we cover a wide range of topics, including why women are disproportionately affected by climate change, how climate policies impact women, the current obstacles to increasing female participation in international negotiations like the COP climate conferences, and how women's perspectives can enhance climate change solutions.

LinkedIn
Instagram
X (Twitter)

Attributions speaks with Steve Turton about all things extreme flooding, climate and weather systems, and recent climate change impacts in Australia and the globe.

Steve is an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography at Central Queensland University. Steve has had a distinguished career across academia where he's held senior research and counseling roles in several universities and research centres.
Steve's also a one of the former Presidents of the Australian Council of Environment Deans and Directors, along with the Institute of Australian Geographers and the Australian Academy of Sciences. He has been recognised with numerous medals and awards for his contributions in geography.

On climate change Steve was an expert reviewer on the IPCC's 5th and 6th Assessment Reports on impacts and adaptation. And most recently in January 2023, his book "Surviving the Climate Crisis: Australian Perspectives and Solutions" was published.

We talk about a vast number of topics from extreme flooding in Australia to climate systems like El Niño and La Niña and how they're affecting climate change in Australia and the globe, atmospheric rivers, tropical cyclones, along with what solutions Steve thinks will help the globe deal with climate change's impacts.

CQ University - Steve Turton
Recently published articles on the Conversation

Attributions speaks with Finu Shrestha about climate change's impacts on the Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountain ranges ice pack and glaciers. We talked about what kind of effects are being felt in the mountains, how the glaciers are responding to warming, weather pattern changes and water security for billions of people across Asia that rely on Himalayan and Hindu Kush glaciers and snowpack that feed some of Asia's largest river systems.

Finu is a Remote Sensing and Geo-information Analyst at The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and has been working on issues affecting the region for over a decade including glaciers, glacier lakes and glacial lake outburst floods also known as GLOFs.

Web: ICIMOD
LinkedIn: Finu Shrestha

In this episode of Attributions, Climate Impacts Tracker summarizes the main events, announcements and agreements at the COP28 climate change conference that wrapped up in Dubai in December 2023. 

While the COP did not provide transformative change, many agreed that it was a successful conference with several key climate-related initiatives being lifted and worked on. This includes loss and damage, climate finance, climate change adaptation and adaptation finance, fossil fuels, carbon markets and nature-based solutions.

Today we speak with Hans Nicholas Jong. Hans is a journalist in Indonesia and a staff writer at Mongabay, where he has been writing for six years about environmental issues surrounding palm oil, indigenous land rights, carbon trading, deforestation, energy transition and much more. Previously, he was a journalist at the Jakarta Post for five years.

We spoke about a wide range of issues from palm oil and its impacts on deforestation in Indonesia, the impact of palm oil plantation on indigenous peoples and local communities, corruption, land rights, biofuels, carbon offsets and reforestation.

LinkedIn: Hans Nicholas Jong
X (formerly Twitter): @hans_nich
Articles by Hans on Mongabay

Attributions speaks with Dr Roxy Mathew Koll. Roxy is a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Metrology. He's made breakthrough contributions to observing and predicting the Indo-Pacific climate related to the region's food, water and economic security.

Roxy is also a leader author on the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change reports and former Chair of the Indian Ocean Region Panel. He currently leads research on climate change and its impacts on monsoons, cyclones, heat waves and marine ecosystems. He works with citizen science networks, local governments and media to bring science to the masses.

We discussed many topics, including how Roxy got into climate science, the science behind heat waves, their impacts and how they form, the implications of El Niño, marine heat waves, monsoons, extreme cyclones, and other topics.

X (formerly Twitter): @RockSea
LinkedIn: Roxy Mathew Koll
Facebook: Roxy Mathew Koll

In this episode we speak with Oswald Schmitz about a recent scientific paper he co-authored and published in the journal of Nature Climate Change related to how wildlife and rewilding can expand natural climate solutions, or in other words absorb more carbon - the study is called Trophic Rewilding Can Expand Natural Climate Solutions

Oswald is a Professor of population and community ecology at Yale University. Much of his work focuses on the linkage between biodiversity and ecosystem services, along with how species interact with their environments. Additionally, he looks into how predator and herbivore species determine the productivity of plants in ecosystems and their processes like carbon and nutrient cycling.

We talk about how how wildlife has largely been ignored in carbon reduction conversations and why that is the case, the impressive amount of carbon reduction that wildlife interacting in their environments can contribute to, the role of apex predators, wildlife conservation and carbon markets, human animal conflict, the risks of losing key species, the recent global agreement to conserve 30% of land and 30% of oceans and other topics.

W: Yale School of Environment - Oswald Schmitz
LinkedIn
Twitter: @SchmitzLab

We speak with Devinder Sharma about all things India, agriculture, climate change and importantly agricultural policy in India. We visit topics like the recent heatwaves and their impacts on Indian agriculture, how important the monsoon is to Indian crops, the farmer protests that shook the country, agricultural policy related to giving farmers a living wage and how that will help farmers adapt to climate change, and many other topics.

Devinder is a food and trade policy analyst and a former agricultural journalist. He was trained as an agricultural scientist and holds a masters in plant breeding and genetics. Devinder is also an active commentator on sustainable agriculture, food security, the corporatisation of agriculture and trade agreements.

Twitter: @Devinder_Sharma
Website: Ground Reality: Understanding the politics of food, agriculture and hunger

We speak with Dr Katharina Fabricius about climate change's impacts on the oceans and coral reef ecosystems. We also talk about how little the ocean has been explored, that it is the worlds largest carbon sink, the effects of coral bleaching, ocean acidification, if there is any potential for corals to adapt to warmer ocean surface waters, and other topics.

Katharina is a coral reef ecologist and a Senior Principle Research Scientist at The Australia Institute of Marine Science. She's been researching corals for over 30 years from Australia to the Caribbean. Currently, she leads a research project looking into the long-term effects of ocean acidification in collaboration with scientists from 20 organisations. Katharina has also published over 150 scientific journal articles and advises government and non-government bodies on all things related to corals, acidification, climate and water quality.

AIMS profile: Dr Katharina Fabricius
Twitter: @fab_coral

In this episode, host Ashley Crowther, speaks with James Whitlow Delano about his time documenting the plight of one of Malaysia's last indigenous peoples, the Batek. We speak about what drew James to this particular story, who the Batek are, the attitudes from Malaysian government towards indigenous people, palm oil deforestation affecting their traditional lands, the notions behind resource extraction and the costs to planet and people, and many other topics.
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James is a documentary storyteller and photographer who has been based in Asia for over 20 years but whose work spans across the globe. James' career has focused on environmental issues and climate change, human rights, migration and Indigenous cultures affected by industrialisation. His projects have won awards, such as the Alfred Eisenstadt Award (from Columbia University and Life Magazine), Leica's Oskar Barnack, Picture of the Year International and NPPA Best of Photojournalism. He is also a grantee from the Pulitzer Center. James' work has been covered by publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, New Republic, The Guardian, Foreign Policy and many more. He is the founder of the EverydayClimateChange Instagram feed.

Website: https://www.jameswhitlowdelano.com/

Twitter: @jameswdelano

Instagram: @jameswhitlowdelano

Facebook: James Whitlow Delano